Prize Recipient

Bilal Jones
Hampton University

Background:

My name is Bilal Jones and I will be a sophomore at Hampton University in the fall, 2013. I was born in Indianapolis, Indiana, but have also lived in Farmington Hills, Michigan and El Paso, Texas. I currently live in Lagrange, Kentucky with my family: my mother (a registered nurse), my father (an electrical engineer), my sister (a student at Spelman college) and my brother (a rising ninth grader). Other than my love of science, I enjoy: listening to music (all kinds, most notably jazz), playing music (trumpet and piano), hanging out with my friends, and reading.

It has been a dream of mine to study physics since I was a fifth grade student at El Paso Country Day School, El Paso, Texas. During this academic year, my teacher, Ms. A, introduced me to the vast world of physics- through lessons on forces, mass, energy, and space science. This experience served as my personal revelation of my worldly purpose; to me, I understood why I had always excelled in math and sciences, why I have always been a fan of science-fiction literature and films, and why I always had an unquenchable thirst to understand the mechanics, laws, and principles of life. I knew, at that tender age of 10, my future career- to become a physicist.

As I grew older, my interests in physics began to specialize, while my options for career applications were augmented. An article on the contemporary theory of Biocentrism (argued by American scientist and doctor, Robert Lanza), sparked a personal passion for theoretical physics. Through my own independent study on various subjects, I have developed a yearning to discover the elusive truths of the universe.